lane and also for on that mister zalinski made this trip to germany. the 1st time he came to germany since the war and ukraine begun a significant visit. i think many people were actually hoping he would visit soon because they had seen that mrs. islands had been and several other european companies, and they were wondering when he would actually come to germany that has to do with the fact that germany is the 2nd country that has provided the most help to ukraine, off of the united states, something and by the way mister savanski himself today mentioned at the german trying to do what he meant to turn to the shortest job. and he has played a remarkable role, a controversial role as well. but he never, the less, gemini, has been one of the most important countries when it comes to delivering political, economic, and military a to ukraine. and that's also on top of the fact that over a 1000000 people from ukraine have come to germany since the war in you for rain be gone. so you can clearly see that the help is not only coming from the german government. it's also a help that you can see coming from the german people that have welcomed these with

over a 1000000 people that have come from ukraine to that will be gone, which is also something that the presence of lensky has referred to today. but also previously citing the german people who helped the ukrainians make a home here for some temporary home. most of them, presumably, as you can imagine, would like to go back into the home country, but also for some time makes a pop a home here. so there's this, the so what we know as would welcome culture that really came to life and that we saw 1st in 2015 of course, when the vin chancellor. and i that mack who didn't take quite as long but very swiftly. besides this, a very famous sentence, you know, of your shopping does, will make it will make it for which you and a lot of criticism was very divisive, but to also very memorable german chancellor. now we'll talk sholtes, as you told us earlier, was the, it took more time it to,

to make the decisions the necessary decisions to show that the germany supports ukraine together with its partners. i think that was also and still is something very important for the german chancellor, that it's not a germany alone, but with its partners, which again, also is reflected somehow in this showing them in price of fuel repeating unity. so when you look at germany's key principles as a foreign policy principles, and you will see that one issue that is frequently repeated by germany does, it was repeated by, i'm a co, it's repeated by chance of the shots. it doesn't always happen, but at least they repeated frequently is this idea that they don't want to go it alone. that they would like to work hand in hand with other countries, especially when it comes to some of the most important political decisions. again, they have been exceptions that they have been exceptions that have creative, significant problems for germany. also during the migration prizes in 20152016. but in general is one of those principles that germany does repeat. and as one principles that we have seen very clearly when it comes to ukraine,

receiving certain heavy weapons, it is something that the government tons of the stress that they would be interested in doing good. but as long as, for example, the united states also plays its role or as long as all the european countries also play that part. so germany does not want to be seen as a country leading any kind of military help towards ukraine as being the country leading it wants to be seen as a country leading within a european, within a trans atlantic framework. and that has to do again with germany's history has to do with the way germany conducts its foreign policy. it has to do with how german people view these issues. not everyone in germany sees the issue of weapons deliveries as being something that is actually helpful, for example, to finding stable peace in ukraine. if you look at the pulse measurements do tend to support those deliveries now, but it doesn't mean that it's an overwhelming majority. i need to talk to do have

around the side of just who will view this rather quickly. and you do have many germans who would like germany to really have a great to focus on diplomacy on diplomatic efforts rather than just on the military military deliveries to, to ukraine. so you do have a german society, which maybe just of the german government is also trying to find what position it has to take in this new will in the world that changed after russia invaded ukraine . and this is also why the german chancellor today and suddenly the ukraine president below them use the lensky keeps reminding the public beat in germany or in other countries. all the fact that there is a rule going on in my country if it's the landscape in ukraine, we're under attack. and as we speak, tom was perhaps before we don't to worry. we do keep an eye on the city of austin in order not to miss the ceremony,

which we want to bring your life where president zalinski will receive the international charlemagne prize of austin for european unity. but perhaps this is a good moment to remind ourselves of what's happening in his country as we speak, because in ukraine air raid sirens has been heard again, as russia alone strikes on at least 2 locations. the defense industry in moscow claims it hits sides with wisdom. weapons were being stored, talking about military aid here. now they targeted a town in east and ukraine as well as the city off at the time appeal in the west turn appeal in the west of the country. and that's the hometown of you. crazy revision act authority. at least 2 people were injured to their in the eastern city or bulk mode. the russian defense ministry said it repelled attempt by you created forces to break through it's lines. and we talked earlier to did all the use to nick connelly and t f. i conclude to tell

us more about what's happening there. well, certainly things aren't going as planned, full rush it in, but from what they've just in the last couple of hours had to admit the desks in combat of 2 high ranking offices. that is something pretty unusual assigned, but they're also have to send that command is up close to the front lines to try and sort this out to try and prevent what looks like a very damaging trend for them. american analysts have talk in the last couple of days. ukraine has returned more than 15 speculum to the territory in and around the back, which i don't think this is the beginning of the finding out defensive in that part of the country. that wouldn't be very logical, but this is an area that has seen fighting, basically since 2014 and where the russians have lots of defensive lots of trenches . but it certainly is assigned that ukraine is able to take advantage of these very obvious tensions between the russian army on the one hand. and those wagner must and re troops on the other to really push home the advantage and to take advantage

of that weakness that due to lack of logistical capacity. we've heard from the russians for the 1st time, really in serious kind of terms containing about like the munition that was the problem that the ukrainians have much more seriously since this bull began. so real since then russia is on the back foot and this is so still, it comes even as russia continue to his pockets across the country overnight, including the west of the country and the city of turn off to well exactly, just as the years and final was happening in a livable you had news coming in of a big fire caused by russian crews themselves in the hometown of that ukrainian fact. uh so yeah, there is a sense that there is no in this country. how far west have authorities from the front lines that is safe from russian missiles? yes, russian missile stokes, running low. those missile attacks of the coming, rare, and less intense and ukraine's offences are improving guarantee of all the drones that were followed. all directions were shut down, but still some of these souls,

these weapons get through. and when people in this country have those airy, loans have a late, it is at night. it is with going down to the cellar to sit this out because these are threats that are very real. this is not a theoretical danger. and people so losing their lives day in that price. and all of this is happening. of course, as you credit president is here and bill in trying to hold. so the country's defense is through diplomacy. how is his strength of being perceived when you uh what's that mean? this is a very conscious attempt to turn the page in relations with germany. lots of tensions over the past year. people might remember last spring. germany's presence is done. why? of trying to come to calvin, basically, the invitation being listened to the last minute, lots of russell that does the looks of tensions. and that took quite some while to deal with now and you, person in charge of the defense ministry in berlin, and a sense here in key. if the germany is serious about meeting, it's clear promises, you know, it's delivered on the left tanks on the iris t, empty at craft and team is all systems. so real kind of come to set that to express

you from ukraine in perspective, but also to present and you wish list of things that ukraine needs further. lensky said that basically you all have enough for this counter offensive after a few more visits. so no sense that this is the end of what your brain wants, but definitely a real change and the tone that, and the sense that the german government is relieved to have some kind of more, obviously, amicable ties with, with presentation. yeah. and when he made that comment, actually there was some laughter dealing the john for the shows, which you don't see that often either use nick connelly in key or thank you so much for your reporting and we're back here at d, they'll be use live coverage. all for the awards ceremony where the ukranian president will let them use the landscape a bit of context also as we're waiting for so suddenly the main person of the day, which is a lot of use to lensky, but also accompanied by the german chancellor or the shields to arrive here in a,

in austin and in between you will see large pictures of some political leaders, dignitaries, already in the festive hall, waiting for this ceremony to begin. we have been informed that the german chancellor flew together with the ukrainian president from the land where they were meeting this morning to the city of austin for this ceremony. we also expect to hear from the european commission president emsella from the line and from the polish a prime minister at my choice, a motor out beach key, who will also deliver a speech. they will be music and poetry, compost and written by ukrainian autism. that's also of course, to underline the significance of this price, which will be awarded not just as a landscape of the people of ukraine, thomas. absolutely, and this is really

a big and important list of people that will be talking today about european unity that we'll be talking to as well about the fight that ukraine has had in the last year for the solver empty, but also for what has been described as european values, that's the reason why most of the lensky representing the ukranian people is now receiving this price for european unity. ukraine is not a member of the european union, but it's fights, it's fights for its own sovereignty. it's 5 force children. integrity is seen as a fight also provide the use that you're up and the your opinion and deeply castle . and that's the reason why he's being awarded this prize represent in representation of the people of his country and why you have also speeches by very important politicians. we're talking here about a speech from was that uh, phone design, the president of the european commission. so the executive branch of the european union, which was here in about 5 minutes, there was a pole in,

but there was one of the sky. this, all of us, the also german tons of the shows who are already this morning here in berlin. had a meeting with mr salons can, we will then obviously see when missed the last games. health receives this award and explains also his perspective on this award. what we can expect from old this is, is mrs. that it's key to again, strengthen that his fight is not a fights only for ukraine, but it's also something that the west that you're up to the united states should deeply castle. he has repeatedly suppressed the need for most support coming from the west that supports us focused on military support 1st and foremost. but it's not only about committed to re support and i think that's relevant to, to stress. also, on this occasion, it is important obviously from a military perspective, because ukraine does say it needs those weapons. it does say it needs those heavy weapons in particular, but it also means political support. and that critical support is something that

we're going to see very probably today. not exactly. and it is a quite amazing, a also to think about the person that is now the president of ukraine. below them, you see lensky is hardly being safe nowadays. that he was an act to. this is something that seems to be in another life so far in the past, but it's not that long ago. and he's made such an incredible transition to be this indeed. and now that the rest of the world is looking up to is willing to support from the united states on the repeating union. of course, some african countries don't quite see that way. and obviously also some asian countries are struggling with that. but to that's why it's even more important. i think that's also what all of shields said in this press conference today. that to germany and its partners, support ukraine and uh on wavering in an on raven. what is essentially monica, the,

these values that we've been talking to a values of values that not only applied to ukraine, oh, to your but that apply to the rest of the world as well to the rest of the democracies in the world. so basically that, that's something that also countries in, not in america, in africa, asia, ok, and you should be looking at very, very carefully in other words, a business again, or something that just affects ukraine or your but you mentioned on important elements and important view here because this is the european view, if you go to africa, if you go to latin america, you have a very different way of looking at things. i can say that myself because i am not an american myself, but the view that is a different one. when you look at the war in, in ukraine, not in america, but also in africa. there's in many countries, degree of n, t, west and ideas anti americanism. there are also ties with, with russia coming from certain countries. in many cases, they view the whole wall critically and they also view the decision to send weapons

to ukraine in a critical way. if you look at the, how this has paid out in the united nations, the united nations general assembly, for example, you see a rather significant list of countries coming from places like latin america or africa or asia that have abstained from open leap supporting ukraine in this war and that gives you an idea that this type for values this fight for sovereignty. this fight for territory integrity is something that may be clear here in europe, but in other parts of the world is seen differently. and i think that's always important to keep in mind because you may be think that's the view in europe is the view that's shared in other parts of the world. and that's not always the case.